Apparatus for treating certain diseases of the human body.



l s. LAKE. APPARATUS FOR TREATING CERTAIN DISEASES OF THE HUMAN BODY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5, 1913.

PmmedMay 1, 1917.

'5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

S. LAKE.

APPARAUS FOR TREATING CERTAIN DISEASES 0F vTHE HUMAN BODY.

APPLlcAnoN man June 6.1913.

Patented May 1-, 1917 5 SHEETS-sainz S. LAKE. APPARATUS FOR TREATINGCERTAIN DISEASES 0F THE HUMAN BODY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE e. :1913. A

` Patented May/1,1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

S. LAKE.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING CERTAIN DISEASES OF THE HUMAN BODY.

APPLICATION FILED .IUNI 6,1913.

Patented May 1, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

S. LAKE.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING CERTAIN DISEASES 0F THE HUMAN EDDY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6| |913.

Patened May 1, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 SIMON LAKE, OF MILFORD,1CONNECTICUT.

APPARATUS FORTREATING CERTAIN DISEASES 0F THE HUMAN BODY.

Application tiled June 6,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON LAKE, a citizen of the United States, residingat Milford, in thc county of New Haven and State of C011- necticut, haveinvented Apparatus for Treating Certain Diseases of the Human Body, ofwhich the following is a specilication.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved method of andapparatus for treating certain diseases of thehuman body.

It is authoritatively acknowledged that high altitudes'are best adaptedfor persons aillicted with pulmonary diseases since the rareness of theatmosphere requires unusual efort on the part of the person to breatheinto the lungs suliicient quantities of air to keep the system supplied,this extra effort causing the air to come into contact with the diseasedcells that aire not reached through ordinary breathing in loweraltitudes. Y

Briefly, my method consists in subjecting a patient to graduallyincreasing pressures of pure air, which air may contain medicinalproperties, or with alternate gradually increasing a1r pressures andgradual reductions of pressures below that of the atmosphere, whereby tosubject a person to forced respiration so that in the treatment of lungdiseases, for example, greater quantities of pure oxygen, or air havingcurative or palliative properties, are forced into the lungs and intocontact with the diseased celils than is possible through naturalbreathing or inhaling even in high altitudes.

The apparatus employed in the treatmentconsists in a suitable chambercapable ofbeing rendered air-tight; in a source of compressed air supplyconnected kwiththe chamber; in means for creating a vacuum in thechamber; in means for purifying and drying the air; in means fortreating the air with curative properties suitable for the treatment ofthe particular disease; in means for either warming or cooling the airbefore it is admittedl to the chamber, and in means for automatically'regulating and maintaining a uniform pressure in and the temperature ofthe chamber. The invention further consists in certain novel features ofconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter described and claimed. v v

1n the drawings, illustrating the inven- Specication of Letters Patent.

rammed May i, i917.

1913. Serial. N0. 772,118.

tion, in the several figures of which like parts are. similarlydesignated, Figure 1 isa diagrammatic View illustrating the invention.Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section drawn through the compressionchamber. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the chamber. Fig. 4 is adiagrammatic View illustrating a building constructed with a vacuumchamber and a series of compression chambers. Fig. 5 is a longitudinalsection drawn on the line Ar--Av of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectiondrawn' through one of the valves and its seat which are arranged in thewalls between the chamber or chambers and the communicating air-locks.Fig.-

11 .is a sectional view of the relief valve'l arranged in the wallyofthechamber.

The numeral 1, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, designates a chamber adapted to berendered airtight, and which is preferably constructed of sheet metalplates 2 and channel-beams 3, the' beams being arranged over and aroundthe chamber to add stiffness to the structure.

rlhe chamber is covered with cement or concrete 4 tofurther stiffenjthestructure and to prevent changes of temperature in thechamber owing toeXternal atmospheric conditions. lnside, the chamber is painted withcork paint, or other suitable non-conducting material, to preventsweating of the plates and to thus keep the chamber dry. Built upon oneside of the chamber 1 is an airLlock 5' which is also constructed ofmetal plates and covered with concrete or cement and painted inside withcork paint in thev same manner as the chamber 1. The air lock 5communicates with the chamber 1 through a door-way twhich is controlledby an inwardly swinging door 6 and one of its vertical wallsis formedwith a' doorway 7 which is 'controlled-by an inwardly \swinging door 7The doors 6 and 7 are provided withiopenings thaty are controlledpermitting the inlet'into the air-lock of the compressed air from thechamber `1 so .as to counterbalance the pressure m sald airair-lock whenleaving the c amber 1. rlhis arrangement of the airflock and the valvesserves the double purpose of avoiding waste of the compressed air whenentering or leaving the chamber 1 and also of avolding the danger,either to the patient or attendant,V of beingsubjected to suddenchangesl of pressure. In entering the chamber 1' when pressure iscontained therein, the per-X' son rst enters the air-lock 5 and closesand locks the door 7 the valve 9 in the inner door 6? is. then openedslightly or cracked to allow the compressed air in the chamber 1 t-ogradually enter the air-lock, then when enough air has been admitted tothe airchamber 1., the inner door (6') is opened when entrance to thechamber may be had.

Upon leaving the chamber 1, one first enters the air-lock, closes andlocks the door 6 and closes the valve 9, the valve 8 is then cracked-toipermit the air in the air-lock to gradually escape into vtheatmosphere to thus gradu- `doors 6', 7 lland 12 whereby they may be '145ally reduce the pressure to that of the atmosphere when the .door 7 maybe ropened and exit effected.

Adjacent to the air-lock 5 is a small air,- lock' 10 that also opensinto the chamber 1 'andis' employed for the passage of food and otherarticlesto the chamber. The communication between the chamber 1 and theair-lock 10, is controlled by an inwardly swinging door 11 and theopening to the airlock from'the exterior of/ the chamber is f controlledby 'an inwardly swinging door 12;

Suitable fastenings 13 are provided for the drawn to their seatsv toprovide air-tight jomts. ',Ihepurpose of the small air-lock is to avoidexcessive use ofthe compressed air 1n the chamber .when articles arepassed toand from the same. 'l

'16 and other living The chamber 1' is provided with suitable windows14, preferablyin the form ef dead'- lights, 'and with a vbedor couch 15,a chair accessories. 1f desir:

ablesuitable, exercising apparatus 7 j mayV beyarranged in the chamberso that he patient may take light exercise. 18 designates,l

pressure gages arrangedy within the chamber, f;

one of. which has its inlet tube extended through 'the wall of thechamber into the "nl outside atmosphere while the other is connected,direct to. the ychamber whereby the patlent may readlly Vascertain theinternal and external pressures. Inpractice a gage.

l "1 8 wilLbe arranged exteriorlys of the chamf ber Wlth-its inlettubeconnected to the cham`rv ber so that'the pressure within the chamberv lmay be ascertained ,fromthe exterior. The gages are contained in.su1table'.air-tight -cases 19 s as not to bel effected by externalpressures.

Air under pressure is ,supplied to the 70 airpasses onits way tothechamber. The

tankfis partly ll'ed with sulfuric acid or other dehydrating liquid andbelow the level of the liquid is arranged a perforated partition 25.Above the levelof the liquid is arranged a second perforated plate 26upon Vwhich `is held a layer of sponge rubber 27 -l and a short'distance above the spo'nge rublock to counterbalance the pressure inthe" ber are a series of slightly spaced perforated plates 28, upon the.top plate of which is held a layer of mineral wool 29 upon which is alayer of medicatedlcotton 29. A wire lscreen 30 of line mesh is laidupon the cotton to hold it in place and to prevent it be. ing blownthrough the outlet from the tank by the air passing through the latter.As shown the connection 22 from the reservoir 20 is connected to thebottom of the tank 23 so thatas ,the air enters the tank it passesupthrough the liquid and'through the perforated partition '25, thelatter serving to breakthe Asolid column of air and divide it into anumber of small streams which pass up through the liquid above thepartition 25, then through thel partition 26,' through the pores of thesponge rubber 27, then through the perforations of the plates 23,through the mineral wool'29 and the medicated cotton 29, andthenzthrough the wire screen to finally pass out of the tank through apipe 32 extendingfrom the top thereof. If desired .I may arrange a layerof oxygen generating substance (not shown) in the tank in order toenrich the/fair passing therethrough. y w f From-the purifier and drier23 theair is led' through the pipe 32 to a temperature regulatingapparatus which consists of a tank 33 having partitions 33? arrangedtherein adjacent to itsupper and lower end which 4divide thetank int'o'an upper chamber34,

an vintermediate Ichamber' 35 and a lower chamberi36,y the chambersA 31and36v being thrown into communication 'by' a series of *pipes 37. whichextend lthrough the partitions 33's() thatas the enters the lowerchamiberpitwill passup through the .pipes 37 f intojthefchamber 34A. Thechamber 35 is deisignedto bj'e lled .either with hot water or ammoniaftoeitherheat or cool the pipes 37 and consequently the air passingtherethroughas conditions may necessitate. The

hot water or ammonia is led into and from the tank through pipes 38 and39, respectively, extending from suitableV sources of supply (notshown). The u per end of 'the tank 33 is connected to t e compressionchamber 1 through a pipe 40 which is connected to the pipe 32 kleadinginto the lower end of the tank by a by-pass 41 and between theconnections of the by-pass with the pipes 32 and 40, and the lattersconnection with the tank 33, the said pipes 32 and 40 are provided withbutterliy-valves 42 the levers of which are connected by a link 43,which is also connected to the operating lever of a valve 43 interposedin the by-pass 41. By this arrangement of the by-pass and the valves inthe pipes 32 and 40 the air from the puriier and drier may be directedinto v the heating or cooling tank 33 before entering the chamber 1 orled direct into the latte'r chamber as desired. The lever of the valve43 has its free end connected by rod 44, of non-magnetic material,extending from the 'plunger 45. of a solenoid 46 located convenient tothe by-pass 41, and arranged within the chamber 1 is a thermostat 47which is connected to the solenoid 46 by current wires 48 in one ofwhichis interposed a 4 series of suitable batteries as shown in Figs.

1- and 9. By this arrangement if the temperature in the chamber 1exceeds a certain degree the solenoid will be energized and its plungercaused to be moved downwardly to thereby close the valves 42 and openthe :35]valve 43 thus cutting 0E the iow `of air through the temperatureregulating apparatus and causing it to flow vdirect intothe chamber 1from the purifier and drier 23.

Extending from the pipe. 40 is a branch pipe 50 which leads to what lprefer to call a medicine chest 51 which is adapted to hold any suitablemedicaments or materials having medicinal properties with which it'isdesired to impregnate the air that is led into the lchamber 1. A pipe 52leads from the medicine chest 51 to the chamber 1, and the pipes 50 and52 are provided with hand operated valves 53 and 53 respectively wherebyto control the How of the air through said chest.

54 indicates a hand operated valvev arranged in the pipe 40 between theoutlet of said pipe and the connection of the pipe 50 therewith. Asshown in Fig. 9 the pipes 40 and 52 have their discharge ends connectedto a distributing pipe 55 arranged horizontally in the chamber and whichis formed' with a plurality of Asmall perfor'ations throughout itslength. In practice -theperforations are preferably arranged in the uper side of the pipe so as to avoid a draft blbwing on the occupantofthe chamber. Af branch pipe 56 may be extended from the pipe 52 into thechamber 1 and to-its inner end may be connected a exible hose 57 to ing60 conveniently located to the chamber 1, is a suitable motor,preferably a clock mechanism (not shown) on the driving shaft 61A ofwhich is mounted a pinion 62 which meshes a gear wheel 63 whose shaft 64carries a double involute cam 65 which operates onwa roller 66 carriedby one arm 67 ofa bell-crank lever 67 journaled to the casing 60. To thearm 67 X of the lever is connected a link 68 to the outer end of whichis connected a weight 69 slidably supported on a scale-beam 70 pivotedintermediate its ends to a bracket arm extending from the casing of arelief valve 71 in such relation to the valve thatthe beam will alwaysrest upon the stem of the valve to thus normally hold it to its seat.The valve 71 is arranged in apipe 72 extending from the chamber 1 to avacuum motor 73 and between the valve 71 and the motor the pipe isprovided with a three-way valve 74 which is designed to be set to directthe low of air passing through the'pipe either to the vacuum pump or tothe atmosphere. The operation of this feature of the invention is asfollows: We will assume that the chamber 1 is under pressure and is tobe constantly supplied with charges of fresh air or medicated air, andthat the foul air is to be withdrawn during the entire time the chamberis occupied. The three-way valve'74 is first set to discharge into theatmosphere, the motor of the casing 60 is then set in motion to operatethe cam 65 which will rock the bell-crank lever 67 to move the weight 69back and forth along the scale beam 70 and thus vary the seating weightor pressure on the valve 71 so that the moment the weight 69 ,reaches aposition on the scale beam where the seating weight of the valve will beless than the pressure in the chamber 1 the valve willlbe unseated and acertain quantity of the air in thechamber thus allowed to escape. Nowthe moment the vvalve 71 is opened a portion vof the air will escapethrough the pipe 72,

to the chamber through the pipe 55 whichvv not only keeps the chambercharged with pure air but valso follows` up the shifting weight on thescale beam to accommodate .the variable pressures in the chamber. 'l`hisarrangementof the movable weight also insures against excessivepressures being put vwith 'an inwardly opening spring seated lupon thechamber as itA will be. understood4 that even should the motor foroperating the bell-crank lever be not running the moment FJthe pressure`in the chamber exceeds that of the'weight upon'the valve 71, the latterwill be automatically unseated to allow a quantity ofthe air in thechamber to escape until the pressure or. weight upon the valve -overv soas to permit of the valves being opened jurious effects to the patient.

comesv the pressure'in the chamber. It will lbe yfurther understood thatduring the time tHe cam is in operation the weight 69 will be moved backand forth along the scale beam and closed intermittently to thereforegrad'- vually vary the pressures in the chamberl withoutsudden changesand consequent in- I it should "be desired to let the pressure 1n thechamber 'fall below that of l,atmospherlc pressure I provide the chamber1 valve 80 which may be set so asto open' to the atmosphere y:when thedesired A partial vacuum in the chamber is secured to thus avoidtoogreat a reduction of pressure in the chamber below that ofatmosphere, it being understood that when the air in the chamber hasbeen exhausted to a certain degrec the valve 80 willbe automaticallyopened to admlt air to the chamber to counterbalance that withdrawntherefrom. I

then adjust the valve 74 to establish communication between the chamber1 and the vacuum motor s o that when the motor is operated the air willbe withdrawn from the chamber until the desired vacuum is secured.

So far las described the method ofjoperation is as follows: Assuming thepatient is afflicted with'tuberculosis and 'is' to be put underconditionsv similar as to temperature,

, rari-ty off air and so forth as exists in certain high .and dryaltitudes. It isrecognized that high and dry altitudes at about freez- 4ing temperature are best adaptedv for the.

ksure is about 9.80rpo11nds per square.v

treatmentof ulmonary diseases-and that at an altltude of) about10500feet the air piresl oot against v14.7 pounds at'sea level. Thetemperature regulator is 'first connected` either with a hot water orammonia supply accord- -ing tothe locality and the temperaturel of valveset to connect csf,

cated' so as to accordingly regu the Weather vin which. the app/aratusis lolate the temperature of the chamber and to maintain the temperaturetherein at about 32" degrees,

Fahrenheit. -The airis then turned on to flow into the chamber 1 and.the'thermostat L regulated to operate the' valves to direct the flowof' air either. through the temperature regulator 3.3 or direct fromthe'purifyingand drying-tank.;y The-relief valvemechanism is then set inmotion .and-the three-Way .the chamber-1 with the vacuum pump so thatwhen the latter 1s op'- erated the air will be withdrawn to cause a witha vacuum throug `door-ways vacuum in the chamber corresponding to thepressure of air at an altitude of 1050.0 feet. The lperson to be treatedthen enters the chamber 1 through the air-lock 5 as 4previouslyexplained where he remains for various intervals of time according tothe nature of the disease and the treatment being accorded. Now shouldit be desired to put the patient under pressure to thus force him tobreathe into the llungs greater vquantities of air than he would throughnatural breath-- ing under a vacuum, I cut oi the communication of thevchamber 1 with the vacuum pump or motor and 'adjust the three-way valve74'to discharge into the atmosphere and then connect the chamber 1 withthe air I reservoir 20 to admitl air under. pressure to' the desireddegree to the said chamber. The

weight 69 is then adjusted von the scale beam to permit the unseating ofthe valve71 the- -moment the desired pressure in the chamber is securedthus avoiding excessive pressure being putupon the chamber 1.- `It maybe stated here that the pipe 22fleading from the reservoir 20 isprovidedi with a hand operatedvalve 22 bywhich the escape of the air`from the reservoir is controlled. The motor is then started to operatethe cam 65 to move the weight 69 back and forth on the scale beam tothus automatically permit the valve 71v to be unseated\,at variablepressures in the chamber 1 which allows certain quantities of the air inthe fresh air admitted du ing the entire time the chamber is occupi dthus keeping the camber to escape and chamber. constantly` supplied withfresh pure air. If it should be desired to impregnate Alock,"each ofwhich communicates with its adjacent compression chamber or chambers 95as shown. The. vacuum chamber f90 also the valves 53 and 54 are adjusted.95 l'controlled fby doorsr communicates with its adjacent air-locksthrough door-ways 96 controlled by doorssimilar in construction to 96Valves 97, p the valves 8, are arranged 1n the part1t1ons betweenftheseveral chambers and their comy municating air-locks for equalizing theressure'inthe several chambers and air# lbcks whenv entering or leavingthe chambers. The purpose of this 'construction and arrangementf'o'f thechambers is to permit ofv vt'aneous treatment of one or more persons'andalso to permit of a person bemg treated with various degreesor stages ofcompression.y In this arrangement -of lthe thev .simu

compression chambers the patient first enters the chamber 91 wherein apressure is ik maintained only a few degrees above the atenters thesecond chamber wherein a higher isc tat

-compression is maintained, and from this chamber he enters the thirdstage compression chamber Where he remains for the prescribed time. Itis, of course, understood that in entering and leaving the chambers thesame method is followed as that 'described in reference to the air-lock5 and the chamber 1. It will also be understood that the chambers 91, 92and 93 are connected with a compression piimp and the chamber 90connected with a vacuum pump in the same manner as described withreference to the chamber 1. Also with these chambers the variousapparatus for treating the airare employed as with the chamber 1. I havenot thought it necessary, however, to illustrate the connections of thevarious apparatus and show the building only in diagram. Exit may be hadfrom any one of the air-locks direct to the exterior of the buildingthrough door-ways 98 controlled by inwardly swinging doors 99, as shown.

From the foregoing it will be seen that T provide an exceedingly simpleapparatus that may be conveniently arranged in any locality which willgive a erson the advantages of high and dry altitudes and with such anapparatus T also gain the advantage of forcing a lgreater percentage ofoxygen and pure air or air containing medicinal properties, into thelungs andinto contact with the diseased cells than is possiblethroughnatural breathing or inhaling even in high altitudes.'

While li described my apparatus and method of treating tuberculosisdiseases T do not desire to be understood as limiting the use of theapparatus to the treatmentof this disease. In my experience insubaqueous operations 1 have had occasion to lobserve and study theeffects of air' pressuresl on dierent ersons and as it is well knownthat men following the divers vocation are usually healthy and possessgreat vitality although they are often called upon to work in veryunhealthy localities, T believe froml my observations that many diseasesmay be beneficially treated by the method of treatment above described.

1. Therapeutic apparatus, comprising a substantially air-tight chamber,means for creating a pressure within the chamber at variance with thesurrounding vatmospheric pressure, a valve controlling communicationbetween the interior of the chamber and the surrounding atmosphere, andmechanism for opening the valve at regular intervals.

substantially air-tightV chamber, means for creating a pressure withinthe chamber at variance with the surrounding atmospheric pressure, avalve controlling communication between the interior of the chamber andthe surrounding atmosphere, a pivoted beam en-v gaging the valve, aweight slidable upon the beamand normally tending to hold the valveclosed, and means sliding the weight on the beam to admit of the valveopening at regular intervals.

4. Therapeutic apparatus, comprising. a substantially air-tight chamber,means associated with the chamber for creating a pressure therein abovethe normal atmospheric pressure surrounding the chamber, other means forreducing the pressure within the chamber below the normal surroundingat- 'mospheric pressure, valves for maintaining a predetermined pressurewithin the chamber, a relief valve, and-means for intermittentlyoperating the relief valve at regular intervals.

5. Therapeutic apparatus, comprising a substantially air-tight chamber,means for creating a pressure therein above the normal atmosphericpressure surrounding the chamber, and a relief valve automaticallyoperated at regular intervals for establishing communication' betweenthe interior of the chamber and the surrounding atmosphere.

6. Therapeutic apparatus, comprising a substantially air-tight chamber,means for lio creating a pressure within the chamber at variance' withthe surrounding atmospheric pressure, a pipe for supplying air to thechamber, means` for treating the air supplied to the chamber, branchpipes con- 3115 necting the air treating means with the main pipe,valves in the main and branch pipes, means connecting the valves forsimultaneous operation, and valve operating means including an elementlocated within 12a the chamber and affected by the change in theatmospheric conditions thereof, to automatically operate the valves.

7. Therapeutic apparatus, comprising a substantially air-tight chamberprovided with automatic ressure controlling valves and pressure inicating means, an air-lock to admit of safe ingress to and egress fromthe said chamber, said air lock having inlet and outlet doors and valvesto establish comwe a vy. A1,22%,11804 A lm'u'licationbetween the lockand chamber positivelyoperating the larstfmentionedvalve 10 and betweenthe lock and 'suirounding etat predetermined intervals.

lmosphere, means for Supplying compressed In testimony whereof I havehereunto set air to the chamber andtreating such air as my hand-this 5thdey. of June, A. D..1913.

the air from the chamber to reduce the resyrequiredl,A means forpositivelyexhausting M l ASIMON L sure therein asdesirel, a, valvecontroling -Wi'tnesses'z communication between the chamber and the ALBERT' M.WOLFE,

. s urroundng atmosphere, and `means for WQV. EILIOTT.

